The Sports Bank staff brackets breakdown. Here’s the TSB staff picks for all the brackets, Sweet 16, Final 4, National Title game. Brackets, brackets, brackets, let’s dive right in. Here’s the tv, tip times and on-air talent assignments for all the brackets.
Resident college basketball genius David Kmiecik:
SOUTH REGIONAL:
#1 Florida over #4 UCLA and #7 New Mexico over #3 Syracuse
I like the Lobos as a sleeper assuming Joel Embiid doesn’t play in the opening weekend for Kansas and Syracuse continues their struggles. The Gators appear to be a lock.
EAST REGIONAL:
#4 Michigan State over #1 Virginia and #3 Iowa State over #2 Villanova
Sparty is the sexy pick for good reason now that everyone is healthy. People seem to be sleeping on Virginia and Villanova. Whoever wins that MSU/UVA Sweet 16 game makes the Final Four.
WEST REGIONAL:
#1 Arizona over #12 North Dakota State and #3 Creighton over #2 Wisconsin
The Lumberjacks are my double digit sleeper and I think Creighton/Wisconsin will be one of the more entertaining games of the tournament for basketball purists.
MIDWEST REGIONAL:
#4 Louisville over #1 Wichita State and #3 Duke over #2 Michigan
It’s amazing that two of the top three favorites in Vegas are both four seeds (Louisville and Michigan State.) I don’t why, but I am still not sold on the Wolverines.
FINAL FOUR:
#4 Michigan State over #1 Florida and #4 Louisville over #3 Creighton
Imagine all the media whoring over Doug McDermott if the Bluejays make the Final Four. Plus, all the Tom Izzo, Billy Donovan, and Rick Pitino did it again.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
#4 Michigan State over #4 Louisville
Tom Izzo. Experience. A team that is finally healthy. Sparty was my sleeper pick a few years ago and now they are the favorites after winning the Big Ten Tourney. I really dislike Louisville by the way, so it would pain me to see them repeat.
Dave’s brackets break-downs, IN DEPTH.
TSB gadabout and ne’er do well Peter Christian Andersen
South Regional:
UCLA over Florida
New Mexico over Ohio St.
I don’t debate Florida’s a good basketball team but I just really despise them and don’t enjoy watching them. I do enjoy watching the progression of UCLA under Steve Alford and how much fun would it be to watch him sweat one out against the kids he abandoned?
East Regional
Virginia over Michigan St and Iowa St over Villanova
I get burned EVERY year on Michigan St. Since EVERYONE is picking them this year, I’m going the other way. That doesn’t take anything away from Virginia, I think they’re good. Like Better than Ezra Good.
West Regional
Arizona over North Dakota State and Creighton over Wisconsin
I love that Aaron Gordon has been flying under the radar this year (unless you’re a nerd like David Kay), I don’t expect that to continue during the tournament. Gordon. McBuckets. Elite 8! What a matchup.
Midwest Regional
Wichita St. over Louisville and Michigan over Mercer
History is not on Wichita St’s side as an undefeated participant in the tournament but I really don’t understand the sudden turn by everyone to get Bullish on Louisville’s stock. They’ve had patches of inconsistency that I don’t believe are flukes. Oh and Mercer. That’s all.
FINAL FOUR
Virginia over UCLA and Arizona over Wichita St.
Because I’m a masochist, I picked the teams I like better to lose.
National Championship
Arizona over Virginia
I’m not gonna pretend like I’m an expert and this pick is based on anything other than an opinion that I developed while sitting on the can. TRUE STORY.
TSB Wisconsin Badgers Beat Writer Nick Grays:
SOUTH REGIONAL:
#1 Florida over #4 UCLA and #2 Kansas over #3 Syracuse
Too many people are giving up Kansas who are a really good team without Joel Embiid. Andrew Wiggins isn’t a freshman anymore and the Jayhawks will be just fine as long as they limit the turnovers. Florida is by far the best team in this region though.
EAST REGIONAL:
#4 Michigan State over #1 Virginia and #3 Iowa State over #2 Villanova
Villanova’s loss to Seton Hall in the Big East Tournament was concerning, but Jay Wright will turn it around for a Sweet 16 appearence. Iowa State is the most intriguing team because the Big 12 was simply the best conference in America this year.
WEST REGIONAL:
#9 Oklahoma St. over #4 San Diego State and #2 Wisconsin over #3 Creighton
This is the region that gets a little crazy with the Cowboys making some noise and it doesn’t involve Marcus Smart getting violent this time. This sets up perfectly for Bo Ryan to FINALLY get to a Final Four.
MIDWEST REGIONAL:
#1 Wichita State over #4 Louisville and #2 Michigan over #3 Duke
It’s pretty amazing that you have to treat the #1 Shockers like a sleeper, but that’s what they are because most people think Louisville is the top team in this region. Michigan can shoot the lights out and Nik Stauskas isn’t someone you want to see in the tournament.
FINAL FOUR:
#4 Michigan State over #1 Florida and #1 Wichita St. over #2 Wisconsin
I don’t care what anyone says, the Spartans and Shockers are the real deal. Wichita St. proved themselves when they made it all the way to the Final Four as a nine seed last year. It’s pretty much the same time, so why can’t they do it again, a la Butler style.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
#4 Michigan State over #1 Wichita St.
What is this, ESPN? Not sure how the majority of college basketball experts have migrated to the Spartans, but that’s just how good of a coach Tom Izzo is. He’s had a lot of success with much lesser teams.
The Sports Bank Grand Poobah and ruling despot Paul M. Banks
literally the view from my press row seat at the #b1gtourney #badgers so like the cliche tweet “view from the office” pic.twitter.com/lyUUfRU1qL
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) March 17, 2014
SOUTH REGIONAL:
#1 Florida over #5 VCU and #2 Kansas over #3 Syracuse
I’ve moved up in the world; slightly. Or I’ve become slightly less obscure as most of my life as I’ve been invited to participate in ESPN’s bracket Media Challenge. Here’s what I’m submitting.
EAST REGIONAL:
#4 Michigan State over #1 Virginia and #2 Villanova over #3 Iowa State
Covering Michigan St basketball in the Big Ten Tournament, I witnessed a pretty dominant run. This impressive three game stretch, along with my Spartan lineage made me biased towards thinking Michigan St basketball is going to win the whole thing. Then when I got home from Indianapolis I realized, everyone else is picking them too.
MY MICHIGAN STATE OPENING ROUND PREVIEW
WEST REGIONAL:
#9 Oklahoma St. over #12 North Dakota State and #3 Creighton over #2 Wisconsin
This is the region that gets a little crazy with the Cowboys making some noise and it doesn’t involve Marcus Smart getting violent this time. This sets up perfectly for Bo Ryan to….sorry, I’ve learned to NEVER pick Ryan to finish lower than fourth in the league. And I don’t often pick against him in the Big Ten Tournament. However, I just can’t pick him to advance past the sweet 16
MIDWEST REGIONAL:
#4 Louisville over #1 Wichita State and #2 Michigan over #3 Duke
I also believe the NCAA intentionally made their bracket as hard as possible; on purpose. I feel they slighted the Wichita St Shockers because a.) they don’t truly believe they’re actually that good and b.) they don’t want another mid-major going back to the Final Four because it’s bad for ratings. I disagree with them on their first one. WSU is for real. It’s not their fault that their conference is a total joke. On the second point, well, yeah I see where they coming from, which is why I brought up how the Wheat Shockers are page views Siberia. But it doesn’t make it right.
For my Shockers piece that NO ONE read, but you really should!
FINAL FOUR:
#4 Michigan State over #1 Florida and #4 Louisville over #9 Oklahoma State
This isn’t “GO GREEN” homering, the Spartans are the SEXY PICK this year.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
#4 Michigan State over #4 Louisville
Brackets, brackets, brackets, Have you ever heard my voice impersonation of Tom Izzo? Here’s the audio of the time I did it on the air.
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An MBA and Fulbright scholar, he’s also a frequent analyst on multiple news talk radio stations. The former NBC Chicago and Washington Times contributor has also been featured on the History Channel.